One Bad Day
by Cyllwen
Summary: A heavy responsiblity. Ch 7 up.
1. Default Chapter

Be kind this is my first Atlantis fic.

* * *

'You know doc you could look a little excited once in a while."

"I am ecstatic major you just have to know how to look."

"Sure doc and I am Diana Ross."

"Really? I am a big fan of your work."

"McKay do you ever do anything that makes my life easy?"

"That is not in my job description Major, but making your life miserable is."

John was having the time of his life. They were in the pool that the scientist had created in one of the rec. rooms. Rodney was not happy. He was never happy at this time of day. It was the time of day that they had chosen to 'workout'. It had all started about 5 weeks ago when Weir had decided that the SG teams were not physically fit enough, even though that could run five miles with fifty pounds on their backs. IT was not Rodney's fault actually; one of the young military members was almost caught by the wraith when he collapsed under the weight of his pack because he was ill. After that incident Weir went nuts worrying about it happening again and so each and every one of them had to suffer. Each of them were required to go one an approved weightlifting and strength training program.

McKay had no clue what the heck to do when "working out" so he just followed the Major about. They swam every other day for an hour and one the other days they spent an hour weightlifting. It was tiring and unpleasant and, to his chagrin, he was getting used to it. Thus Sheppard was making the workout harder. McKay sighed. He looked at the clock on the wall it was time to get out. He left the Major in the pool and went to get dressed. He was off duty so he didn't put on his uniform instead he put on a black T-shirt and black jeans that someone else had bought him for Christmas one year. He never wore it but today being his day off he though why not?

McKay was exhausted. They had just brought some artifacts back from a rather unfriendly planet and he was trying to decipher what they actually said and hopefully figure out what they did. He had been working on the project for the past week and had neglected eating for a while before the Major had grabbed him for their morning exercise, in fact he didn't remember sleeping either. Man he needed to stop loosing track of time like that A wave of dizziness washed over him. He steadied himself against the wall. He headed to the mess hall hoping to find some food. He was almost there when Elizabeth waylaid him.

"Rodney can you spare a minute?" He sighed. She looked gorgeous, her hair was styled perfectly and, and he needed to get out more. She had that look on her face, that 'would you please do something for me' look. There was no arguing with that look. He sighed again he was going to die before he got something it eat.

"Well…."

" I need you to check on a generator on the far side of Atlantis." Who knew that Dr. Weir had puppy eyes?

"Sure but…" He had to try, try to get a word in and actually get someone else to do what needed to be done.

"Thanks Rodney."

"Elizabeth, wait…." And with that she was gone leaving a very hungry Rodney to embark on a journey before he got to fill his stomach. He sighed a few dozen times more. It was going to be the day of sighing he could tell.


	2. ch 2

"You know McKay you are an idiot. First for not sleeping second for not eating and third for coming to Atlantis in the first place.

" Now you don't mean that do you Rodney?" DR. Beckett has walked up just in time to hear the third reason that McKay though he was an idiot.

"No of course I don't mean that if I hadn't come to Atlantis I wouldn't know the pleasure of hunger, thirst, being shot, being chased by hungry wraith and my personal favorite I wouldn't have all this lovely company." Did I mention that McKay wasn't happy? Well obviously Dr Beckett was used to it because he just shook his head and wondered off in the other direction.

So he headed out collecting several tools from his lab before heading toward the generator that was being troublesome. He hoped it wouldn't take long. He stopped long enough to grab one of his chocolate bars, just so he didn't end the day in the infirmary, and made his way to the eastern end of Atlantis. They had just started to explore this area. They hadn't found any transporters in this section yet. It only makes sense for Weir to send him here. The generator was majority on the fritz. He stopped, he had just said something was majority on the fritz man had he reached an all time low. The room that he ended up in was cold and dark; the generator had shut down completely. He swore slightly and reached for his radio only to discover that he wasn't in his uniform and since he had been on leave his radio was with his uniform. He sighed for the thousandth time today and felt through his bag for a flashlight. He found a small one and went to work.

Time past and more time past. Major Sheppard was in the mess hall eating dinner when Elizabeth came up to him. He gestured to an empty chair and she sat down. They ate in silence for a few minutes. He was trying to figure out what is actually was that he was eating and she was trying to figure out if she had done a duty rooster. The silence ended when he started talking out loud.

"It might be chicken or it could be pork. Then again it could be beef, how I don't know but it could be beef." She looked at him out of the corner of her eyes hoping feverishly that he just hadn't lost it completely. He saw the look on her face and burst out into hysterics causing her wondering to go almost to complete certainty.

"Major are you alright?"

"It was just the look on your face, sorry I guess I got used to eating with McKay he just ignores me completely." She relaxed.

"Where is Rodney anyway? I asked him to look at a generator six hours ago and I haven't heard form him since." The look on her face deepened into worry.

"He could be in the basement thing. He has a lab down there that he spends most of his leave in it." She relaxed again.

"He should be here to eat soon. You know McKay" She excused herself and headed out.

McKay changed positions and looked at his watch. Man, he had been here for six hours with no luck. The room was still dark and it had gotten even colder causing him to shiver. He reached for another candy bar; there was no way he was going to make it to supper. Trying a different angle he removed another panel on the generator. A bright flash filled the room and one of the walls exploded throwing Rodney into the opposite wall knocking him out cold. The temperature started to drop as seawater started to pour into the room.


	3. ch 3

Unless I get some new review I am not going to update for a while.

* * *

After Liz left the mess hall she headed to the control room to see if Rodney had checked in at all. The conversation with Major Sheppard hadn't done anything to alleviate her growing discomfort. He was right it wasn't like Rodney to miss a meal. He usually ate before anyone else began to think about food, and he had missed lunch and had just missed dinner. She sighed. It wasn't like him to disappear. The last time that he hadn't been seen for a while Major Sheppard had locked him in a closet and forgot that he was there. She walked briskly through the halls her agitation showing on her face. She began to walk faster. She was going to fast and was too busy with her own thoughts that she collided with Teyla.

"I am sorry Doctor. Are you injured?" The tall Anthosian looked a little distracted as well.

"No Teyla I just wasn't paying attention to were I was going. You haven't seen Dr McKay have you?"

"No I have not. Are you searching for him as well?"

"You're looking for Rodney?"

"Yes, he was supposed to meet me for something called coffee this afternoon."

"I haven't seen him since I sent him to fix a generator over six hours ago."

"I will go to the location of the generator and look for him."

"Thank you Teyla."

They parted Liz going to the control room while Teyla went to find the missing scientist. First she stopped to collect a flashlight and some energy bars, in case the doctor had forgotten to eat again, and finally Lut. Ford for company. He wasn't exactly happy but if something had happened to the scientist she wasn't going into a dark place without backup.

"Teyla, Dr. McKay probably forgot what time it was."

"I do not believe he would have been gone for so long without contacting anyone."

"I don't know but I don't know how he could get in trouble in Atlantis."

"I believe he has done it before."

"Hey kids where you going." They both looked up to see Major Sheppard approaching.

"Teyla is making me come with her to find Dr. McKay"

"He hasn't come back yet?" A look of worry flashed across his face then he reached downs and grabbed a flashlight off the low table. "I am coming too."

Control Room

"Lut. Check life signs at the southeast of the city."

"Yes ma'am" Something bleeped. "There are two life signs in that area."

"Two?" Liz didn't like the sound of that for some reason. "Contact Major Sheppard tell him to get a team together and head to the southeast part of the city." She prayed that something wasn't wrong.

Generator room

The wind is silent, the air is thick and my eyes are clouded

The world has stopped its turning for just this moment

So I could share it with you

Just this moment

You and I

You are the popular girl in our high school called life

The smart one

The cute one

The one everybody wants to be

I am the strange one

Gone in the blink of an eye

Surfing silent shadows

Fighting the demons they contain

I am the silent hero

A fool for loving you

The wind is gentle

The Night is warm

I am lying here just looking up at the moon

The bitter moon

A tear slides down

A mask that can not cry

The night stops

The breeze is gone

The blood not flowing

The world standing still for just this moment

So I can share it with you

Just this moment

You and I

Don't cry dear one

Don't be a fool

Like I

Go to your life

You are not made for the shadows

You are made to be alive in the sun

Just share this moment with me

Just this moment

I and you

Rodney didn't know why that song was drifting through his head. He hadn't heard it in years it was too depressing and often hit too close to home. Except for the bravery part which were ever creeping closer to him everday. He stopped he could swear that he could hear San Carter's voice. Images were flashing through his mind. He let himself get lost in the dream.

"McKay what are you doing at the SGC?" She was so beautiful just like he remembered. She seemed to him the embodiment of all the thing he left behind on earth. Well she was probably the only thing he left behind on earth, besides his cat that it.

"Just visiting Major. You know driving you insane for the pleasure of it." He might as well enjoy the dream while it lasted because something told him that when he woke up he would be in a world of pain. He wondered what happened. The generator couldn't have exploded because he still wouldn't be alive if it had. There must have been a bomb somewhere else in the room. Who would want to kill him? Okay maybe that was a dumb question. Who wouldn't want to kill him? He was arrogant, brash, somewhat, somewhat, and what had he been thinking? It was getting harder to concentrate. The room was getting colder and his arms felt like they were being pulled out of their sockets. He couldn't hold consciousness at bay anymore he opened his eyes.

* * *

Oh and by the way I don't own Atlantis, Sg1 or any of these characters. The song above is mine however. 


	4. ch 4

The wind is silent, the air is thick and my eyes are clouded

The world has stopped its turning for just this moment

So I could share it with you

Just this moment

You and I

You are the popular girl in our high school called life

The smart one

The cute one

The one everybody wants to be

I am the strange one

Gone in the blink of an eye

Surfing silent shadows

Fighting the demons they contain

I am the silent hero

A fool for loving you

The wind is gentle

The Night is warm

I am lying here just looking up at the moon

The bitter moon

A tear slides down

A mask that can not cry

The night stops

The breeze is gone

The blood not flowing

The world standing still for just this moment

So I can share it with you

Just this moment

You and I

Don't cry dear one

Don't be a fool

Like I

Go to your life

You are not made for the shadows

You are made to be alive in the sun

Just share this moment with me

Just this moment

I and you

The song was repeating even after Rodney opened his eyes. It took his vision a moment to stop swimming enough to see what was going on. He was suspended about five feet off the floor by a think rope that looped around both of his hands and ran into a ring attached to the ceiling. Oh that is why his arms hurt. Blood was running down his arms from his wrists where the rope had cut into his skin. He could see right between the splitting headache and the fact that he hadn't eaten since that morning and that was very little. He looked around for the source of the song. There was a radio hanging right in front of his face and the music was blaring out of it. Who would have that song? It wasn't even published. A band in his town had written it, he had the only copy. That meant some idiot had been searching through his stuff!

He breathed trying to calm down being angry wouldn't help right now. He started to try to work the roped off his wrists but it only cut deeper into his skin, fresh blood started to flow from the wounds. He winced. The music stopped its outward flow from the suspended radio.

"Comfortable Doctor?" The voice was undeniably female. It wasn't unpleasant but it was like velvet soft yet ruff and full of what sounded like clinical curiosity. He looked at the radio unable to even make a retort due to the ever-tightening ropes.

"Oh I had forgotten that your primitive technology was incapable of unassisted two way communication." She sounded vaguely amused.

When it first started he didn't even notice it. It was like someone was pouring glitter into the air, after about 30 seconds it converged into the form of a woman.

"That is better. Your are Doctor Rodney McKay are you not?" he didn't answer her, he was too busy staring at her feet which were standing on the water that was now knee high on him and he was suspended from the ceiling.

"Now come on Doc. I would think you would be more talkative I have been watching you for several months." That startled him but he still didn't say a word. He had a feeling that no response would be the best response to irk her.

He was right. She grew angry after a few minutes stalking over and slapping him hard enough to draw blood with he long fingernails and too rattle his already aching head.

"So you aren't going to talk are you?"

"Not until you ask nicely." He had to say it even though it seemed to please her.

"I see you have found your tongue. I am Nicole Angel. I am an outcast ascendedand Iam going to watch you die Doc. McKay." Then she disappeared leaving Rodney alone.


	5. ch 5

I know my chapters are short and I apoligize I have a bit of writers block.

* * *

"And may I inquire as to why you would want to do that?" All She did was smile. For the first time he allowed himself to look at her features. She was rather pretty but not beautiful. He blonde hair was cut short and choppy and her eyes were muddy brown and a cruel smile dominated her face. The white dress she wore seemed rather out of place.

"Doctor Weir we have reached the room that the life signs are in. The door is closed and apparently welded shut." When Teyla's voice had come in over the radio Liz had hoped for good news but this was bad, very bad.

"Alright Teyla I will send a team of engineers and scientists down to help you get the door open."

"Affirmative Doctor." Then the line cut off and another voice replaced Teyla's.

"Now Doctor I can have you spoiling my fun, McKay and I were just having some quality time together. Tsk Tsk, just don't get your hopes up Elizabeth."

"Who are you? What have you done with Rodney?"

"I am no one of consequence and as for Rodney I hope you have said goodbye." Nicole's voice cut off.

"Doctor Weir? Are you there?"

"Yes Teyla. You have to hurry."

"Well Rodney you are more popular than either of us knew."

"What the heck are you talking about?"

"They are right outside trying to get in. They are stupid they should realize you aren't worth it."

"I am not listening to you." It sounded lame to him, he was sure that is sounded lame to her.

"So childish. That will change."

"I am childish I am not watching someone die of three factors at the same time. If anyone is childish you are."

"I will ignore your insolence. You are of no importance anyway. I selected you because you would be less likely to be missed. You spend your time alone. Your 'team' avoids you when you are in the city. I am doing them a favor Doc. I am doing you a favor too."

"Well Miss Mature you obviously overlooked experience and the fact that I am the only one who is able to do some of the things around here."

"Some of the other scientists don't agree with you"

"Some of the other scientist can't figure out a light bulb."

Her smile made chills run up and down his spine. His vision was clouded and she was actually the only thing that he could see and he was pretty sure that that was her doing. He had lost too much blood and hadn't eaten for too long and the cold seawater was starting to make him numb. If they didn't hurry Nicole was going to get her wish. She was going to watch him die.

"Major I hear voices."

"McKay's?"

"Doctor McKay's and a woman whose voice I do no recognize."

"A woman's"

"Yes."

"Alright get back to work on that door…Do you smell salt water?"

"There was some on the floor when we arrived."

"That means we have a hole in the wall somewhere. You guys keep working here I am going to take the mini sub out and inspect the outside maybe I can fine another way in."

"Doctor Weir I presume." The voice that came over the radio was different than the one she had talked to earlier.

"Who is this?"

"This is a friend. Permission to talk to you face to face?"

"Do you promise no harm?"

"I do."

"Very well." The woman didn't materialize like Nicole did but just appeared in a flash. She was almost a negative image of Nicole with long black hair and startlingly light blue eyes and though her face look sad a kind sparkle was in her eye.

"I have come to apologies for Nicole's actions Doctor Weir and to offer my services in helping you get your friend back."

"Who are you and who is Nicole"

"I am Mitra, Nicole is who is keeping your scientist hostage. We are outcast ascendants. Perhaps I should explain. We were the last of our kind on the planet you team visited a few months ago. Nicole was my twin sister but ever since our ascendance she has been rather cruel and insane. When she saw your scientist she got it into her head that he was the ancient responsible for the death of the people of our planet."

"Where would she get that idea?"

"He has the gene and he was the first male that she saw. Nicole still is very bitter about the events that took place so long ago."

"You say your sister is insane?"

"Yes I did say that."

"What does she want with McKay?"

"To watch him die." Her voice sounded grim.


	6. ch 6

"Why did you wait so long to come help."

"She is made more powerful by her madness and as long as she wishes it I can not enter the room."

"She can keep another one like her from going somewhere?"

"She can."

"Why are you willing to help us?"

"Your McKay interests me. He is arrogant yet he feels himself unimportant. His mask is thick."

"What are you talking about?"

"He will have to tell you that later. If someone can break her concentration I can rescue your man."

"How can we do that?"

"Your Sheppard has already created one. He is going in the mini sub to try to enter Atlantis through the hole in the outer wall."

"Hole?"

"The one caused by the explosion that knocked you scientist out."

"Explosion?"

"Is there an echo in here? Just allow me to do my job and keep you man from drowning, or bleeding to death, or dying of low blood sugar." She vanished leaving Weir in a panic.

"MAJOR SHEPPARD!"

* * *

In the sub

"MAJOR SHEPPARD!"

"Sheppard here. What did I do now?"

"Rodney is being held hostage by a deranged Ancient. There is another of her kind here. She says she wants to help but I am not so sure. You need to get to Rodney and fast."

"Gotch ya. Over and out."

* * *

"Well Rodney how are you doing?"

"Why are you keeping me alive if you want so badly to watch me die?"

"What are you talking about?"

"At the rate that the water should be rising I should have drowned by now. I have some sort of head trauma from the explosion. My blood sugar should be so low by now I shouldn't be conscious. Both my wrists are injured and bleeding from the rope and I have some sort of injury to my side. Between all these factors I should have been dead at least three times by now."

"Clever aren't we? Your are correct I am keeping you alive but that is to make you suffer for what you did to my people."

"Your people?"

"Don't play dumb, you brought that virus to my people! You killed us all!"

"You are one crazy bat if you believe that I did something so long before I was BORN!" She slapped him again opening the drying scab on his face.

" SHUT UP. JUST SHUT U.P I KNOW YOU DID IT. I KNOW. I KNOW EVERYTHING."

"WELL YOU NEED TO CHECK YOU DICTIONARY ON THE DEFINITION OF EVERYTHING LADY!"

"Who are you to tell me what is right and wrong?" Her voice lost all anger and resumed that calm sadistic tone again. He realized that his lady was totally insane. He had to do something to distract her or something or next time she flew into a rage she might kill him outright, if he lived that long.

"I am obviously more stable than you are Nicole. That means I have a better understanding of what it means to be right and wrong."

"I am sure you have a lot of experience with being wrong."

"Very funny." He had had about enough of her. It took a great deal of his strength but he managed to pull his legs out of the water and kick her in the chest. It connected surprisingly though it didn't phase her for long.

"WHY YOU…"

"Temper, temper." Nicole turned and saw her sister standing right behind her.

"How did you get in here?" her sister just pointed to Rodney.

"You let him get you angry sister."

"I should have know you would spoil my revenge. He killed our people sister. He killed all of them."

"Our people died over 4,000 years ago probably more sister. He couldn't have killed them. No ancient killed them. WE destroyed ourselves. You destroyed us."

"NO! He tampered with our research. He made it dangerous."

"No ancient ever visited us. They were destroyed before our people were. Your inoculation was unsafe."

"NOT UNTIL HE FOOLED WITH IT."

"He wasn't even born when that inoculation was administered."

"I couldn't have done it. I couldn't have. David died from it, my own son died. How could I have done it."

"You didn't mean too but it happened. You need to stop looking else where for blame." Nicole lashed out at Mitra with a wave of energy. Mitra blocked it easily. She took a step closer to her sister.

"Every one has forgiven you Nicole. Why can't you forgive yourself" She blocked another blow this time from Nicole's fist. Then another and another until Nicole lay sobbing in her sister's arms.

"It is okay Nicole. Go home I will be there soon. "Nicole disappeared. Mitra walked over to Rodney, who was unconscious now because Nicole's influence was removed. Her form disappeared as her body became bright. She cut the rope right above Rodney's wrists then wrapped her arms around him until he could barely be seen. Then she pulled him out of the room and into the sub a few meters away from the battered wall. She place him in front of a very surprised John and disappeared.

* * *

John raced over to Rodney and started to call over the radio.

"Weir, I've got Rodney and I am going in."

"Good I will have a medical team standing by."

"Doctor Weir?"

"Mitra?" The ascended woman was standing by he desk.

"Yes Doctor. I am sorry."

"Why?"

"I should have watched Nicole more closely. I allowed her to came here but while I studied your people I lost track of what she was doing."

"Why is she like this?"

"About 4,000 years ago, maybe more our planet was struck by a plague. It was like you cancer only much quicker. Doctor Nicole Angel found a inoculation for the disease. It wasn't affective. The inoculation killed more people than the disease. I had died some years earlier and ascended. So when my sister caught the disease I helped her ascend making me an outcast. The mental instability she had developed after my death and the death of her son stayed with her after death. She always tries to find the person responsible for the inoculation going wrong and she has never realized that it was her. She blamed it on the ancients I have tried to help her since it was my fault that she remained here on this plane. I am afraid not only did I wrong her but also I wronged the universe. I almost killed your friend. "

"Nicole almost killed Rodney. You tried to be kind and decent."

"Thank you doctor I hope your friend will be okay" Mitra disappeared.

Weir stopped for a moment to ponder these strange events.

"Doctor Beckett, how is Rodney?"

"Not well. His sugar levels are too low as his body temperature. He had a piece of the wall stuck in his side and he has lost a lot of blood. If I can get enough blood and fluids into him he may make it." Weir started to pray.


	7. I wish you better fortune than I

Weir was sitting by the only occupied bed in sickbay. Rodney looked awful and even though the doctor had told her that in time he would be fine, she was still worried. It had taken them a long time to stabilize him. He hadn't woken up since the incident and neither of the sisters had returned. Liz hoped they never would. To think of Rodney being tortured was enough but for him to be tortured over nothing? It was almost too much to bear. She yawned. She was too tired it had been over six hours since they had gotten Rodney to the sickbay and it was roughly 3 in the morning. She got up and walked out the door only to be relieved in her watch by Major Sheppard.

"You know Rodney when you do something you don't do it half way."

"I know." The response cause John to miss the chair he was attempting to sit in and he hit the floor instead.

"How long have you been awake?"

"About an hour."

"You didn't let anyone know?"

"Why? You should all be in bed anyway."

"You need to stop scaring us like that."

"I would but I am getting so attached to the sick bay that I need to come back every now and then to get some rest."

"What the heck happened in there?"

"Nicole happened."

"I know that much."

"She 'influenced' one of the scientist to sabotage the generator and plant a bomb in the wall. Then she influenced you to start a workout before I had some food. She influenced Weir to get me to fix the generator before I could eat and she influenced me into not saying no."

"What happed after that?"

"I couldn't get the generator fixed so I opened the back panel. I was then greeted by a flash and for a little while nothing. When I came too I was tied to the ceiling with a sadistic woman watching me bleed, drowned etc, to death."

"Why?"

"She couldn't handle the fact that she killed her son."

"She killed her son?"

"Accidentally."

"How?"

"She was a Doctor, rather unstable due to the death of her twin sister. A plague hit and she tried to come up with a cure but she created something more deadly that the disease."

"Oh man."

"I couldn't help feeling sorry for her. She devoted her life to medicine and it failed her. It killed anyone she ever knew." They sat in silence for a moment until John realized that Rodney had drifted back to sleep. This whole episode didn't settle well with him. It seemed that Mitra didn't have much control over Nicole, and even though their stories matched he didn't trust either one of them. It was almost as much Mitra's fault that this happened as it was Nicole's.

"Your right Major it is my fault."

"I wish people would stop sneaking up on me like that."

"I am truly sorry major but I don't think you are going to accept it."

"You would be correct."

"You have to understand Major that I make a mistake just like Nicole did so many years ago but mine is so much more permanent. I can't take it back I can only help clean up the messes she makes."

"I am not sorry for you."

"I am sorry for you Major. The reason Nicole came her is that see reconsider a little of herself in your friend."

"What the heck are you talking about?"

"He is driven, arrogant yet kind, devoted to his field and to his people. He is scared emotionally from his childhood and his adult hood; short on friends and those he does have he pushes away so he can't get hurt. Nicole was very much like that once. Ignored, at least in her own mind, and lonely. It was because of this she chose him as if my killing him she could remove those factors from her life and be whole again. I have tried to help her like you have tired to help him but they are stubborn. Major I promise you we will not return but your problem does not end there. He is your problem now under your command and in all actuality you are one of the few people he deems worthy of respect. A heavy responsibility to bear. Trust me I know. Goodbye John Sheppard. I wish you better fortune than I." Mitra was gone and hopefully for the last time. She left John alone with his own thoughts.

* * *

The end for now. Look for my next story which will tell about the time that John lock Rodney in a clostet so they could plan a birthday party and like anythign in Atlantis is doesn't turn out the way they planned. 


End file.
